Almond Horn Cookies (Chocolate-Dipped Horseshoe Cookies)

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: European

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Servings: snack size

Calories: 85kcal

Author: Marvellina

Chewy almond horn cookies with crisp edges and optional chocolate dip. Naturally gluten-free horseshoe cookies that also make a lucky treat for Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Homemade almond paste:

116 g almond flour make sure it's finely ground
68 g powdered sugar
15 g egg white From 1/2 egg white. Beat loose with a fork and save the remaining half for egg wash
¾ tsp almond extract
⅛ tsp salt

Cookie dough:

Homemade almond paste
30 g egg white from 1 egg white
80 g almond flour make sure it's finely ground
1 ½ tsp almond extract
30 g sugar or more to your taste preference

Topping:

Sliced almonds

Chocolate dip:

170 g semi-sweet chocolate chip

Instructions

Prepare almond paste:

Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract, and salt in a mixing bowl or a food processor. Mix until you form a paste. If you are using a food processor, pulse a few times until you form a paste. Roll into a log and wrap tightly with a cling wrap and set aside
If you are not using it right away, you can keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week. Then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before using

Prepare the cookie dough:

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for conventional oven. For a convection oven, lower the temperature by 20 F (15 C)
Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper or two small ones
Use a food processor or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment to prepare the dough. Tear the almond paste you made earlier into smaller chunks.
Add egg white, almond flour, almond extract, sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few times until it forms a dough. It feels tacky, but should be workable
Divide the dough into 24 pieces (roughly about 15 grams each). Roll each one into about 4 inches rope
Bend it to shape like a U
Brush with the remaining egg white wash (beaten with some fork).
Put some sliced almonds on top of the cookie dough for decoration

Baking:

Place the baking pan in the middle rack and bake for 13-15 minutes or until very lightly golden brown at the edge. They appear soft at first but will crisp up on the outside as they cool down. The inside should have a chewy texture
Let the cookies cool down on the pan set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool down completely before dipping into melted chocolate if you choose to do so or for storage

Dip in chocolate: (optional)

Melt the chocolate over a water bath. I find it easier to transfer the melted chocolate into a cup so you can dip the cookie into the melted chocolate
You can also melt it in a microwave-safe cup using a microwave. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir and then another 15 seconds and stir and check if you need to do another 15 seconds or not
Dip the two ends of the almond horns halfway into the melted chocolate and place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and let the chocolate set.
If you wish, you can press more almond slices on the chocolate before it sets

Storage:

Store the cookies in air-tight container for about a week to 10 days. They freeze well too. Simply thaw at room temperature before serving

Nutrition